Finance
In the midst of ongoing political turmoil in the United Kingdom, former Chancellor Rishi Sunak is close to receiving the 100 MP endorsements required to enter the race to become the next Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, according to a media report on Saturday.
According to the BBC, Sunak has received 93 Conservative MP endorsements so far.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is set to return to London on Saturday after a vacation in the Caribbean, is second with 44 endorsements.
Sunak and Johnson have yet to officially declare their intentions in the race to succeed Liz Truss, who resigned as Prime Minister on Thursday after only 45 days in office — the shortest tenure for any British Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Sunak’s campaign sources told the BBC that he has the backing of a number of senior colleagues, including former Health Secretary Sajid Javid, Security Minister Tom Tugendhat, and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
“It is abundantly clear that Rishi Sunak has what it takes to match the challenges we face, he is the right person to lead our party and take the country forward,” Javid said.
Another backer, Tobias Ellwood, claimed he was the 100th MP to endorse Sunak, saying: “Time for centrist, stable, fiscally responsible government offering credible domestic & international leadership.”
Speaking to the BBC on Friday night, Trade Minister James Duddridge, a Johnson supporter, said the former Prime Minister had “momentum and support”
“He is coming home and is up for it. He is the only election winner we have that has a proven track record in London, on Brexit, and in gaining the mandate we have now,” he added.
Penny Mordaunt, the current leader of the House of Commons, is another contender in the race, with 21 supporters so far. She was also the first to publicly declare her candidacy.
The candidates have until October 24 at 2 p.m. to secure the required 100 endorsements. If three reach the threshold, Conservative MPs will eliminate one in a ballot on the same day, according to the BBC.
MPs will vote on a “indicative” ballot of the final two, with the winner determined by an online vote of party members that will end on October 28.
